7 Degree Offset Grips

by Jon Math 10/4/2017, 8:25 am

These grips are normally used by off eye shooters. I use them because I have a congenital defective of my thumbs. The offset grips allow me to get more of my hand behind the pistol to control it and still get my index finger into the trigger guard for a nice straight back movement.

I am also left eye dominant and was left handed till it was beaten out of me at a young age. Aside from writing and throwing I do everything left handed or left footed. I have always worn a blinder on my left eye. I’ve been using pistol I was considering buying from a teammate. It does not have target grips, so I was struggling to get a hold of it. I ended up holding it with most of my palm on the side of the grip panel with almost no meat on the back strap. The only way I could sight the pistol was to use my left eye. I’ll be dammed if that was not an eye opening experience, I shot pretty well that way. I shot my normal pistol last night in competition, blinder over my right eye and shooting right handed, and the sight picture was the sharpest it’s been in years, and my hold was rock steady. Another piece of the puzzle in place. This solution has been in my hands and right in front of my face for years, I just never considered it.

My next experiment will be to shoot both eyes open without a blinder. I use translucent blinders as the light they allow in keeps my pupils dilated more appropriately and my balance is 100% better with both eyes open (as opposed to simply closing one or squinting one to shoot).

Off set grips might not be everyone’s answer, but so far they have really seemed to make a difference for me.

by gregbenner 10/4/2017, 12:05 pm

Are you referring to Rink grips (they offer this as an option on their grips)? I am left eye dominant as well, right handed. I find with my 1911 style guns that my "natural" aim (with outstretched arm) was to the left of the bullseye. I now have have 3 sets of their offset grips, which helps give me a more natural alignment. Rink accomplishes this my adding material to the left side of the grip that contacts with the palm.

Interestingly I do not seem to have this issue with any of the European guns, just the 1911 style.

In my case, I shoot using my right eye, I tried using my left, dominant eye, but didnt like it. I also have translucent painters tape on the left eye glass, which allows me to keep both eyes open without the goofy dual focus I get otherwise. This made a significant difference as well.

Just as an fyi, it would be rather easy to modify Rink grips (and most others I think?) with some putty to accomplish this as well, if someone already had grips they like.

by Jon Math 10/4/2017, 12:51 pm

Yes indeed, putty would easily add the thickness needed to get the 7 degree shift. It’s interesting that euro pistols are not a problem but the 1911 is as the pistol. I have the exact same issue; I’m trying out is a M41 which has the same grip angle as a 1911, and with my euro gun I never had a problem with right eye shooting.

The 3D printed grips would be a fast and inexpensive way to try a 7 degree grip as well.

by mpolans 10/12/2017, 11:46 am

I'm not cross dominant or anything, I use them just because they're more comfortable for me. With 0 offset Rink grips, I naturally tend point off to the right. With the 7 degree offset, no such problem. It might be because I tend to be a little more square to the target than most.

by Jon Math 10/12/2017, 12:39 pm

Funny you’d post this. My newest pistol came with standard grips, I’m waiting for a set of 7 degree Rinks, and I’m printing all over to the right side of center while waiting for them. I was thinking it was the trigger, but now you have me wondering.

by gregbenner 10/12/2017, 4:20 pm

mpolans wrote:I'm not cross dominant or anything, I use them just because they're more comfortable for me. With 0 offset Rink grips, I naturally tend point off to the right. With the 7 degree offset, no such problem. It might be because I tend to be a little more square to the target than most.

That is interesting. The 7 degree grips add material to the left side of the grip, which tends to rotate the aim to the right?

by Jon Eulette 10/12/2017, 4:40 pm

Yes and no! I have afriend that was having gripping issues with a Euro grip. I had him grip a 1911 with slabs and then the Euro gun. He was pushing heel against the left side of grip (righty). His hand was actually too small to push heel there (over rotating). I built up the grip with folded paper and had him re-grip the gun. It corrected his aiming issue. More to a correct grip than offsetting. Unfortunately most shooters do not know what is right or wrong when gripping Euro type grips. And unfortunately most grip makers in US don't know what they are doing or are blindly making grips across the country instead of in person. I've experienced all facets of having grips made from tracing (photo copy), modified myself or made by grip maker in person. It's a stab in the dark 99% of the time. It's worth every penny to have made in person.
Jon

by gregbenner 10/12/2017, 5:11 pm

OK, I see what you mean Jon. Good point.

by mpolans 10/13/2017, 6:45 am

gregbenner wrote:
mpolans wrote:I'm not cross dominant or anything, I use them just because they're more comfortable for me. With 0 offset Rink grips, I naturally tend point off to the right. With the 7 degree offset, no such problem. It might be because I tend to be a little more square to the target than most.

That is interesting. The 7 degree grips add material to the left side of the grip, which tends to rotate the aim to the right?

I'm a lefty with relatively short fingers. With a standard grip, when I raise the gun, my muzzle tends to point to the right and I have to move my wrist to the left. With the 7 degree offset grip, the inside of the lower palm thicker (and I think the part of the palmshelf that curls upward a little thinner) and has the effect of rotating my hand around the grip in a clockwise fashion, so I don't have to move my wrist to the left to compensate.

by Chris Miceli 10/13/2017, 6:51 am

it was suggested to me to the remove the palm shelf and grip the pistol. The shelf could cause some issues pressing on your hand.

by Jon Math 10/13/2017, 8:37 am

Jon Eulette wrote:Yes and no! I have afriend that was having gripping issues with a Euro grip. I had him grip a 1911 with slabs and then the Euro gun. He was pushing heel against the left side of grip (righty). His hand was actually too small to push heel there (over rotating). I built up the grip with folded paper and had him re-grip the gun. It corrected his aiming issue. More to a correct grip than offsetting. Unfortunately most shooters do not know what is right or wrong when gripping Euro type grips. And unfortunately most grip makers in US don't know what they are doing or are blindly making grips across the country instead of in person. I've experienced all facets of having grips made from tracing (photo copy), modified myself or made by grip maker in person. It's a stab in the dark 99% of the time. It's worth every penny to have made in person.
Jon

That is for sure—one size does not fit all when it comes to grips. Buying a set of aftermarket grips, to my mind, is just the starting point; putty, files, knives and sand paper are your friends after that, and like you say perfect results are still a crap shoot.

I like to use a minimal amount of putty and keep the grips looking clean so I start with a bigger grip and whittle and sand away wood to get a comfortable and stable fit. Looking at You Tube video of Olympic shooters they seem to go the other way and putty a smaller sized grip to get their fit perfect. I’m not sponsored and someday I may want to upgrade—selling a clean pistol is a lot easier than selling one with a pound of Bondo all over the furniture Very Happy

by rich.tullo 10/15/2017, 7:38 pm

Many will say with a 1911 shoot slabs unless you have large hands. I used to use customized Harrets NM grips on my 22lrs and now I am shooting slabs with my 22lrs as well.

I give up about 10 points in Slow Fire and gain about 10 to 20 points in sustained fire in a 900. I just switched and figure in about 3 months my scores in slow fire will be where I was +184/200 on average.

I gave up using ergos with a 45acp years ago.

I find the ergos irritate nerve damage I have owing to a sports injury however with a M41 the ergos make it feel less nose heavy.

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